It is common in small kitchens to have a kitchen sink with only a single basin and a compact counter where there is not much space for accommodating a cutting board and other cooking hardware. Cutting boards that can be placed over the sink have been used to address this problem in a small kitchen set up. Unfortunately, such “over-the-sink” type cutting boards hinder a user's accessibility to the sink for washing and other chores since they wholly or substantially obstruct the sink. As a result, over-the-sink cutting boards have to be moved to the side of the sink when some washing or other chores need to be done immediately. Moving over-the-sink cutting boards back and forth could be a messy task because the liquid from the cutting board can drip onto other areas of the counter top or the floor. Further, chopping on over-the-sink cutting boards may damage or dent the sink if the sink is not made of a higher gauge material.
The over-the-sink cutting boards available on the market usually incorporate a strainer. A further disadvantage of such boards is that a large hole is typically formed on the cutting board surface to hold the strainer, thus leaving little room for cutting. Such cutting boards therefore have some difficulty in handling tasks like cutting large leafy vegetables or preparing food for a larger party, especially when there is only a single-basin kitchen sink. The unused food typically goes into the strainer, which is removed for disposing the waste into the trash bin. The periodic act of removing waste from the strainer to the trash bin can be messy.
What is therefore desired is a novel cutting board which overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of prior boards. Preferrably, it should be readily supportable over a sink from the narrow section of counter at the front of the sink proximate a user, to provide a cutting surface without occupying much of the sink and other useful counter top space. In particular, the board should include a ready mean of securing about the counter's edge, such as a hooking or clamping mechanism, to prevent the cutting board from toppling into the sink, particularly during food preparation. The board should further incorporate a removable receptacle at one end, and means for optionally hanging a plastic trash bag into which scraps can be conveniently deposited from the board.